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SHANGHAI ROLEX MASTERS

October 12, 2016

Di Wu

Shanghai, China

G. SIMON/D. Wu

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Chinese, please.

Q. You actually did very well at first. You broke serve. Why is your competitor causing you so much trouble?
DI WU: First of all, I have to say that Simon is very competent, that he's very smart. At first he might not be so used to my way of playing. I'm very familiar with his way of playing but he's not so with mine.

So at first I got a few critical points. But at the end of the game he's very smart. He knows my forehand is my weakness, and he keep hitting my forehands. So for the first two sets I think I was playing squarely. I was playing according to my basic standards. But then perhaps he's not too used to the new ball. But later he is very patient and he got very aggressive.

So later I got into a very hard time to try to score a point. So that's really giving me a lot of trouble.

Q. Your competitor is also very, very good at scoring points after many rounds? Do you think that perhaps you're physically not able to handle this kind of stressful game?
DI WU: Usually it doesn't take that much stress on me. I can readjust back to my right state for winning.

I actually had my back injured. In my practice it's not so intensive, but over the past three weeks I have really learned a lot. These are valuable experience for me. I hope that if I could keep this state in the future like the past three months, my ranking might keep going up.

Q. You mentioned that these past three weeks have really given you some valuable experience. Can you specify on that?
DI WU: Well, it start from Chengdu. I got lucky, and I encountered a player who I know, I know well, and then I played against him. Also had a close match, but my performance in Beijing was not satisfactory.

After my match in Chengdu, I flew to Beijing on the same day. I didn't have enough time to get adapted to the ball, the court, and the weather. I'm one of those who are not that experienced in big events. So I came to Shanghai at very early time, and I was able to train with some very competent players for a while.

My first match give me much stress. For over seven years I haven't won any match in my home turf, but then I won. So that was to my great satisfaction.

But then I have to say that I have tried to learn Simon's way of playing. He's very tall, but his way of playing is also very delicate. There is a lot for me to learn from him.

Q. You mentioned a couple of times that holding the wildcard has given you a lot of stress. But then your training sessions in Masters tournaments you have made some breakthroughs. Novak said once he has secured all those winnings he no longer attached them with so much importance. But then for you, after you have made these breakthroughs, do you think that you might be placed under less stress after you have won something?
DI WU: Well, it might be some breakthroughs for me personally, but for average Chinese, male tennis players in general, it's still not making too much progress.

Anyway, previously there are other players that have made their way into the second round beyond the qualifying match, but for me I may just have made a little bit of progress. But it's not enough for me to be happy or satisfied. It's just the beginning.

For me, I would consider this period of time to be one of those good phases for me, but I hope I could be doing better.

Q. (In English.) You just mentioned Chinese male players not progressing so far yet compared with the Chinese women especially. I'm wondering what you think the Chinese men need to do to get better. Is it playing more big events? Is it training overseas? Is it trying different things that you haven't done before?
DI WU: (In English.) That's a good question. I think Chinese men, we try to play more tournament but sometimes we can play good, sometimes we cannot play good. This is why we are not that improve.

We need going to Europe or America to play or practice more, get more European to training hard. We need this experience.

So I think that this winter for us is very important. We are young. To have so many Chinese players, how you say, many good Chinese players, so they need more going outside to practice and play, I think. This is what I think.

Q. You mentioned practicing. We saw you practicing with Andy in photos. How many players have you practiced with? What have you learned from them? The other question is that you once again earn the title as the No. 1 Chinese male player.
DI WU: Well, I think the second question I don't have much to say. Actually, there is not too much for me to be happy about. Either me or Zhang Ze are No. 1 and No. 2. That's why I don't have much to say about the second question.

I have practiced with Andy or Dimitrov these past few days, but after the practice they will keep playing in the match. There will be no way for me to make appointment with them, because when I sometimes think when I'm practicing with them, I'm under a lot of stress because there will be a lot of fans surrounding to watch them practicing. So at that moment I might not be able to play to my desire, but I have really learned a great deal from them. They are masters.

Q. You have been asked this question too many times. You were given the chances by those wild cards. However, you have yet to make the progress you have exchanged with so many top players. Why haven't you been better? I mean, yes, nowadays there are some emerging young players. At this moment on the radar screen it's still just you and Zhang Ze, either you or Zhang Ze. So in your view, what stage do you think the Chinese tennis players are in? Why do you think you have yet to make that breakthrough, the Chinese male players in general?
DI WU: I have actually covered that question earlier. There are many promising young players. They are in China. I think they need to work out and need to practice or play some matches in the United States and Europe which will be more helpful for them.

They are just that many players here in China. It's a small pool. So what you can do, you could just practice within this small circle. Me and Zhang Ze, we are still very young, 25 and 26. We are still actually relatively younger players. We may have appear couple of times, people think we are veterans, but really we are young. We need to get national team support and go abroad.

Q. You mentioned earlier that Chinese male tennis players in general are like that. But in woman, they make breakthroughs first in doubles and then in singles. Do you think Chinese males could follow that path?
DI WU: We have been working on doubles, too. But just that our performance is not ideal, not that good. Earlier my coach has advised me that while we are practicing in doubles it could also improve my singles skills.

I play two doubles this week. I do have some chances. It does help improve my performance and my feel near the net, so what you have said makes sense. Make some breakthroughs in doubles, and then we will get even better in singles. Yes, it will help us indeed.

Q. From Chengdu to Beijing to Shanghai you play in China, and in the afternoon you saw quite some Chinese fans rooting for you. However, not many fans in general out there taking their seats. So from your perspective, as a player, what's the reason? Why do you think there could be some measures for us to improve people watching?
DI WU: That's not something I could answer.

Q. That's why I said from your players' perspective.
DI WU: That's why because we have yet to be outstanding players in terms of performance. That's the reason we have to keep working hard on that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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